Is there any "thing" that could be shaped?

Trying to stay with Direct Experience here - as everything occurs in the flow of experience, my sense is that there is no 'thing' that could be shaped. If there was manipulation or control occurring, it wouldn't be in direct experience, it would be ...

What is it that knows?
What knows is not a separate self directing thing, but a looking and seeing Direct Experience as an ongoing flow of causes and conditions

n Direct Experience, is karma found?
Are conditions found?
Does something shape a "my life"?
In Direct Experience karma is not found ...

Hi Dava

Thank you for taking me this far in the process, which is not over yet, but feels this part of it maybe coming to an end.
i feel so grateful for your guidance, your patience and your wisdom. Hopefully we can have discussion about where to from here.

What 'I' ever looked at their own ...

Since an action occurs in either case, what is the difference between an act preceded by a thought and an act which is not preceded by a thought?
I cannot find a difference between these two - I have gone back to our previous discussions about choice and decision making and how "we have looked at ...

What do you find when you look for a "thinker" that might be behind such a "first thought"?
I cannot find a'thinker' only thinking

Is the "first thought" necessary in order for an action to occur?
I'm not sure how an action would occur if there is no 'thinking'? Though as I say this I can think ...

Hi Dava

Is an act something known or something done?

An act is something done

What is it that needs to "know" how to be responsible, and on who's behalf?
There is no one who needs to 'know' how to be responsible - The decision to respond will be made with the 'first thought' and I will either ...

What is this "I" that makes a decision or sets an intention?

Hmm very interesting question and I did watch the clip and found it useful and clarifying. So the thought that you have to set an intention or make a choice or decision (as Rupert Spiro says) is where the separate self is created ...

1) Is there a separate entity 'self', 'me' 'I', at all, anywhere, in any way, shape or form? Was there ever?

I now see as I look at Direct Experience that there is no separate entity 'self', 'me', 'I' anywhere.
Of course i still use and will continue to use the word "I", even though it feels ...

Is there any real Directly Experiential substance to these thoughts of doubt?
No there isn't.

Very possible if that conviction was based on an intellectual conclusion of no separate self, it would be just one thought replacing another.

But is that the case here, that the conclusions of our ...

Doubt arises as a result of a thought.
KM

What is the "doubt" made of?

How does it arise?

doubt is made of physical sensations experienced in the body - they are wave like, they come and go and when I really look, especially with some kindness they do dissipate. It is also thinking and realising how I favour thinking so strongly - a ...

Hi Dava
So tell me, when you look, can you find a shred of evidence to support the existence of a separate self?

Within my Direct Experience, I cannot find a shred of 'evidence' to support the existence of a separate self? I do not know what is holding me back from saying an unequivocal yes. I ...

Hi Dava

It is just the arm lifting as the flow of experience.
KM

What is it that makes the link between the Direct Experience of "energy" sensations and the Direct Experience of your arm lifting?

Can such a link be found in Direct Experience?

There is no link - the words of the Heart Sutra have just come to mind "Feeling thought and choice, Consciousness ...

Look for the chooser that makes the choice to raise your left. What do you find?

I can't find a chooser what I do find in Direct Experience is energy which lifts the arm - which makes me reflective if there is no 'chooser' no 'actor' no 'decider' how do I make the countless choices each day, an ...